Arsenal Vs Bayern Munich: Recap, Highlights And Analysis

Arsenal travelled to Germany to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Here is the full recap, all the highlights and analysis from the 5-1 loss.

What an underwhelming performance and a yet expected result that was. Arsenal were utterly dominated by Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, failing to gain a foothold in the game whatsoever. Arsene Wenger set his side up to defend and counter. They did neither bar a bright spell late in the first half.

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That aforementioned first half started as everyone expected. Arsenal sat off their hosts, allowed them to dominate possession and hoped to threaten on the counter. However, such was the superiority of the Germans, the Gunners were unable to string even one pass together. Bayern piled on the pressure and it didn’t take long for them to make the breakthrough.

Collecting the ball on the Bayern right-hand side, Arjen Robben, as he has done for so many years, shimmies inside Francis Coquelin who poorly gives him inside leverage, takes another touch onto his left foot and whips a curling shot into the far corner, kissing the crossbar for effect. It was none less than Bayern deserved and immediately put Arsenal on the back foot.

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However, after a series of relentless attacks that led to little more than nervous fans, Bayern were unable to create many more meaningful opportunities. Then, Arsenal got what they came to Germany to get; the oh so precious away goal.

After Alexis Sanchez won a corner, Laurent Koscielny nipped in front of Robert Lewandowski who had chested the ball down before intending volley it clear. Instead, the Pole clipped Koscielny and the referee pointed to the spot. Sanchez stepped up to convert the penalty. His woeful effort was saved comfortably, his rebound was equally comfortably palmed away before the Chilean beautifully brought the ball down on his chest before pulling a volley back across the goal seeing the ball nestle into the far bottom corner.

The remainder of the half continued with the same rhythm. Bayern controlled the game, with Lewandowski unable to steer two good headed chances towards goal, while Arsenal attempted to threaten on the break, seeing a thumping Granit Xhaka volley fire down the throat of Manuel Neuer, after good work from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and a good save from Neuer with his feet, from a low, angled Mesut Ozil shot just before half-time. It was an entertaining game heading into the break but Wenger would certainly have been the happier of the two managers.

The second half was equally enthralling, played at break-neck speed. It was Bayern, though, he found their ruthless edge in the final third. Their first goal in the second half came on a devastating counter-attack. Philip Lahm broke down the right-hand side, passed the ball off to Robben in front of him before bombing on his trademark overlapping run. The Dutchman fed him, Lahm played a beautiful cross which Lewandowski rose highest to head beyond the stranded David Ospina.

It was not three minutes by the time Bayern had the ball in the back of the net once more, this time the scorer becoming provider. Xabi Alonso plays an accurate pass into the feet of Lewandowski, the Pole flicks it beautifully into the path of Thiago Alcantara, who was exquisite throughout, before seeing the Spaniard coolly slot past the onrushing Ospina.

The fourth Bayern goal came soon after and it was Thiago once more who all but finished the tie off. After a scrappy corner was poorly cleared by the Arsenal defence, headed up into the air on numerous occasions, the ball eventually fell to the Bayern midfielder who, on the edge of the area, brought the ball down on his chest before volleying towards goal. The ball ricocheted off the legs of Granit Xhaka, leaving Ospina stranded and putting Arsenal to the sword. It took ten minutes for Bayern to score three second half goals and end the tie.

The second half petered out with Bayern controlling much of the game and Arsenal trying, but mainly failing, to nick a late away goal. Theo Walcott brought a little threat down the right with his searing pace while Robben continued to torture the Gunners with his pace, but ultimately, this game was finished with a scintillating ten-minute German demolition.

There was one last blow for Arsenal to be dealt with as Thomas Muller came off the bench, collected the ball in the box, cut inside with great patience and calmness and smashed the shot past Ospina who once again had no chance.

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It is a very disappointing result for Arsenal who must now, somehow, overhaul a four-goal deficit against a Bayern side that were at their devastating best on Wednesday. It will be a tall order, one that they will likely fail in, and one that could well lead to yet more questions over Wenger’s future.

Highlights

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